Logging tongs



Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE I 2,581,79 9: V f a I LOGGING TONGS, StephenKramer, Greenville, Calif 1 Application March 15, 1949, serial Bio. 81,434

2 Claims. (01. 294-400)- This invention reiates to iogging tongs and more particularly to means for clamping the tongs or hooks into secure engagement with a log and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide logging tongs of the kind to be more partioiilarly described hereinafter having a slip blook on one end thereof so constructed and arranged relative to the hook members whereby a tfisioh on the flexible member eonnecting the nook-members together after a log has been engaged between the hook members will cause the hook members to olampingly engage the log engaged threbe tween.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind having a slip block so constl'licted and formed for Slidiiig movement on a flexible member connecting apair of long engaging hooks or tongs whereby sliding movement of the Slip block on the looped flexible member toward the hooks or tongs after a log has been engaged therebetween the hooks or tong s will increase the pressu'reof engagement of the hooks or tongs on the engaged legend a tension on the looped flexible member will cause the hooks or tongs to lampin'gly engage the log held therebetween,

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and the details of constructiondisclosed in o the drawings and specification and then more particularly pointed out in the appended lairns.

In the drawings} 7 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of logging tongs, constructed according to an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the slip block of the logging tongs, the slip block being removed from the assembly, taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the slip block.

. Figure 5 is a transverse section of the slip block,

showing the engagement of the flexible member in the longitudinally extending passages.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail section taken on the line 6-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates generally a pair of tongs, constructed according to an embodiment of my invention, for

dragging or snaking logs and the like. The tongs ID are formed of a pair of hook members H and I 2 connected together at one end by a flexible member Id. A slip block F is slidably engaged on the flexible member or cable [4 for drawing the free ends or the hook members H and 12 together into secure clamping engagement with the logs. a I

The hooks 'H and I2 each comprise a shank portion- I 6 having an inturned bill I! at one end thereof. The shanks l6 of the adjacent hooks l l and F2 are disposed in spaced apart relation to each otheralong the length thereof and thebill sections 11 are disposed in confronting relation to each other. The terminal ends of the bills I! are formed with flat points I8 which are adapted to 'penetrate the log or other article being dragged by tongs.

The upper end'of the shanks l6 are flattened and formed with openings I!) through which the flexible member! 4 is engaged for securing the ends of the flexible member to the adjacent hooks I] and 12. The openings l9 are spaced apart along the length of the terminal end 20 of the shank I6 and a fastening element 2| engages through the lower end of the end section 20, adjacent the lowermost opening I9 for fixedly securing the end of the flexible member I4 to the hook.

The flexible member I is folded intermediate the length thereof to provide a pair of longitudinalls' extending adjacent stretches 22 and 23. The free ends of the reverted cable M are extended outwardly through the uppermost of the openings l9 and inwardly through the lowermost opening to be engaged with the fastening eleinent 2| on the inside of the upper end of the shanks I E. The clamping elements 2| are formed with an apertured shank portion 24 and a threaded lug 25. i The apertii'red shank portion 24 is adapted to be disposedon the inside of the hooks while the threaded lug 25 extends outwardly." A nut 25 engages on the lug 25 for drawing the clamping member 2! outwardly of the hook; members. The terminal ends of the cable [4 are engaged through the aperture 21 of the shank portion 2 5 and tightening of the nuts 26 will clamp the free ends of the cable l4 against the inner side of the upper end 20 of the hook members H and I2.

lhe slip block I5 is slidably supported on the spaced stretches 22 and 23 of the flexible memher or cable I l, the slip block being formed of a block of metal or body substantially U-shaped in configuration. The body 28 includes an upper b ight portion 29 having a pair of depending side arms 33 and 3!. A pair of plates 32 and 34 are fixed to, or preferably formed integral with the lower end of the side arms 3!] and 3| to define a 0l gitudinally extending passage 35 extending side arms 30 and 3|, at their lower ends.

from the lower end of the body 28 and terminat-' ing adjacent to and spaced from the upper end thereof.

A pin member is arranged transversely of an i between and spaced from the side arms 30 and 3| adjacent the free ends thereof, the pin member embodying a pin 31 carrying a sleeve 36 fixedly connected to the side plates 32 and 34. The

pin member separates the passage 35 into a pair of longitudinally extending openings 38 and 39 at the lower end of the body 28 and maintains the stretches 22, 23 out of engagement with each X other.

The side arms 30 and 3| are formed with outwardly extending channels 40 and"4| adjacent the upper ends thereof. The openings40 and 4| converge downwardly in the body 28 in the diupper divergent ends of the openings or passages 40 and 4|. .The grooves 45 and 46 are defined on their front and rear sides by front and rear Walls 41 and 48 respectively. As clearly v noted in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings, the surface of the block l5 at the upper end between the divergent ends of the grooves 45 and 46 is greater than the space between the inner surface of the The channels and. and the grooves and 46 in the slip block I5 together form a pair of converging passages 49 and 5|], the passages extending longitudinally inwardly from the face of the bight portion 29 of the block I5 remote from the side arms 30 and 3| to and through the side arms 3B'an'd 3| adjacent to'and spaced from the face the bills I! of the hook members H and |2 are first placed in opposed engagement about a log, and the slip block I5 is then manually moved toward the shank l6 of the hook members H and 2 until the latter are under the desired pressure of engagement. At this point, a tension is exerted on the looped or connected ends of the cable l4, resulting in the hook members and I2 to clampingly engage the log held therebetween and shift and deposit the log at the desired location. With the deposit of the log, tension on the looped end of the cable I4 is released, the slip 4 block l5 moved manually away from the hook members II and I2, and the bills I! of the hook members H and I2 removed from the log.

I claim:

1. A log engaging device comprising a pair. of confronting hook members each including an elongated shank and an inturned bill on one end thereof, a U-shaped slip block including a pair of spaced-side arms and bight portion connecting said arms together at one end positioned adjacent to and spaced from the other ends of said shanks and having the free ends of the side arms facing and contiguous to said other ends of said shanks, there being a pair of converging passages in said slip block extending longitudinally inwardly from the face of said bight portion remote from said arms to and through said side arms adjacent to'and spaced from the face of said bight portion contiguous to said arms, and a flexible memberincluding spaced stretches, said stretches being slidably received in said passages and each having one'end projecting beyond the free ends of the said side arms of said slip block and secured to the other end of the adjacent one of said shanks, the other ends of said stretches projecting beyond said bight portion of said slip block and secured together. i

2. A log engaging device comprising a pair of confronting hook members each including an elongated shank and aninturned bill on one end thereof, a U-shaped slip block including a pair of spaced side arms and bight portion connecting said arms together at one end positioned adjacent to andspaced from the other ends of said shanks and havingthe free ends of the side arms facing and contiguous to the other ends of said shanks, there being a pair of converging passages in said slip block extending longitudinally inwardly from the face of said bight portion remote from said arms to-and through said side arms adjacent to and spaced from the face of said bightportionqcontiguous to said arms, a flexible member including spaced stretches, said stretches being slidably received in said passages and each having one end projecting beyond the free ends of said side arms of said slip block and secured to the-other end of the adjacent one of said shanks, the other ends of said stretches projecting beyond said bight portion of said slip block and secured together, a pin member arranged transversely of and between and spaced from said side arms adjacent the free ends for maintaining said stretches out of engagement with each other, and means fixedly connecting said pin member to said side arms. 7 a l.

-, a STEPHEN KRAMER.

No references cited. 

